The present invention relates to systems for conveying energy signals including optical signals and electrical signals, and more particularly, to optical switching systems for enabling reconfiguration of connections between optical signal conveying media, such as between optical fiber cables or between optical fiber cables and optical signal components.
An optical switch provides a means for selectively switching an optical signal conveying media through which optical signals are being conveyed from one optical signal conveying media, such as an optical fiber or waveguide, to another optical signal conveying media. A variety of approaches have been utilized to provide this switching capability. For instance, in a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) approach, an array of micromirrors may be used to deflect beams of light to a predetermined output fiber. In other systems, piezoelectric ceramics and even acoustic waves have been used to deflect light beams between sets of fibers.
As further described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,068,715 to Kewitsch, the disclosure of which is hereby fully incorporated by reference herein, robotic approaches for “cross-connecting” pairs of optical fibers have been developed to reduce the negative effects of the aforementioned so-called “non-robotic” approaches such as insertion loss, back-reflection and crosstalk of the signals. These approaches can be utilized for switch matrices having N columns and N rows (N×N) and thus provide greater scalability than non-robotic approaches.
Current robotic approaches, however, have limitations. Conventionally, direct connections need to be made between optical fiber cables in such systems. The cross-connecting of the cables in these systems leads to an entangled web of cables, which may prevent further switching of connections between the cables. Some systems limit the range of movement of cables while other systems require careful planning of each cable connection to reduce the possibility of entanglement.
Therefore, there exists a need for system and method that can switch connections between media, such as optical fiber cables, through which energy signals may be conveyed and avoids entanglement of cables from impacting the capability to perform switching of connections.